364 ODYSSEY • BOOK XXIV [495-

Get ready, quick!' Whereupon they leapt up and put their
armour on. Odysseus and his followers made four; Dolius' sons
another six; and to them Laertes and Dolius himself must be
added, for they armed themselves too, grey-headed though
they were and forced by circumstance to fight. When all were
clad in gleaming bronze they opened the gates and sallied out
under Odysseus' leadership.

They were now Joined by Athene, Daughter of Zeus, who
had assumed Mentor's appearance and voice for the occasion.
The stalwart Odysseus was overjoyed to see her. He turned at
once to his dear son and said:(Telemachus, when you find your-
self in the thick of battle, where the best men prove their mettle,
I am sure you will know how not to shame your father's house.
In all the world there has been none like ours for valour and for
manly strength.9 And the wise Telemachus replied: 'As you
have said, dear father, in this present mood of mine your line
will not be put to shame by me. You shall see that for yourself.'

Laertes was delighted. 'Dear gods!' he exclaimed. 'What a
day this is to warm my heart! My son and my grandson are
competing in valour.'

Athene of the flashing eyes came up to him now and said:

(Laertes, dearest of all my friends, pray to the Lady of the flash-
ing eyes and to Father Zeus; then quickly swing your long spear
back and let it fly/

As she spoke Pallas Athene breathed daring into the old man,
who, with a prayer to the Daughter of Zeus, poised his long
spear at once and hurled it. He struck Eupeithes on the bronze
cheek-guard of his helmet. The helmet failed to stop the spear,
the point burst through, and with a clang of armour Eupeithes
crashed to earth. Then Odysseus and his noble son fell on the
front rank of the enemy and smote them with their swords and
double-pointed spears. They would have destroyed them all
and seen that none went home alive, if Athene, Daughter of
aegis-wearing Zeus, had not raised a great cry and checked the
whole of the contending forces: "Ithacans, stop this disastrous
fight and separate at once before more blood is shed.'